Court Tails
by TeaLogic
Summary: Collection of drabbles and oneshots based on Ratchet and Clank. ACiT spoilers! 5: Guilty
1. The Art Of Court Naming

**Hi everyone! **

**I'm hoping to start a collection of oneshots/drabbles. I just adore Ratchet and Clank, and after playing **_**A Crack in Time **_**I finally feel brave enough to post on FF. **

**A warning, there will be MAJOR SPOILERS for all Ratchet and Clank games in pretty much every chapter. I have a feeling that most of them will be ACiT related.**

******Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank. They belong to the geniuses at Insomniac Games. However, I do hope to own a Ratchet and Clank calendar by my birthday =)**

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**Spoilers for TOD and ACiT. Just some Alister and Kaden silliness. Alister and Kaden are young in this oneshot, perhaps in their late teens/early twenties. I not sure if I got Kaden and Alister entirely right character-wise, but I've put this at the time before Alister came into contact with Tachyon, so both of them were quite carefree and happy. **

1: The Art of Court Naming

"Here's an idea, how about we name it after one of us?" Kaden suggested hopefully after a dreadful silence.

They had been in the small, square room and huddled at a desk for a full sixty minutes. One hour. A portion of the day. To Alister, this portion of the day had been thoroughly wasted.

A whole hour had been spent on trying to pick a name for a place he had never been to. And it had been absolute torture. Doing something honourable and dangerous for the welfare of Lombax kind and the Elders had decided to reward them by making the both of them pick a name for Court D-61-Alpha, the largest court within the Citadel.

Other Lombaxes would have jumped at the idea of naming something, particularly those stuck-up fuzzballs at the Four-Bolt Magistrate. Alister imagined that other General called Perkins, who was probably pulling his own ears when he heard the news about them. All that sucking-up to the Elders and it was all for nothing.

But there were bigger things to think about. Alister and Kaden together were no experts when it came to giving names to large and impressive buildings. They had only just got used to the looks of absolute awe that they received from their fellow Generals. Both of them thought that giving names to buildings was a bit out of their league, even though they wouldn't admit it.

Alister avoided having things to name, such as pets or anything else that required a title. Really, he thought Kaden would be a lot better at this, as he 'named' everything that he grew an attachment to. The ship that he bought a few weeks ago was christened by him before he even got his name on the license.

Yet, both of them had sat in the room for an hour, feeling very defeated. Kaden had only just suggested that they name the place after themselves.

Alister raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"What?" He replied mockingly, "The 'Court of Alister-Kaden'?"

"I was thinking more on the lines of 'The Court of Kaden-Alister'" The Lombax used hand actions for effect.

"I don't think so"

There was another silence as both Lombaxes pretended to be in deep thought. They were in fact silently panicking, as they only had another three hours before they had to give a name to one of the Elders. After a few minutes, Kaden spoke again.

"Y'know what? We should just name it after you"

Alister blinked, "The 'Court of Alister'? That's stupid"

"Your name fits better! Besides, I can see it"

The eyebrow went up again.

"You can see it."

"Yeah!" Kaden spread his arms out in a dramatic sweep, "The hardest criminals in the galaxy crumble within the badass 'Court of _Al'_"

Alister shook his head. Why on earth was this so difficult? Did they not rip to pieces an out of control Supersized Army Mech with ease only four days ago?

"Your name would be better, Kaden"

Alister tried to adopt a serious tone before adding, "Besides, you did most of the rescuing, especially the girls"

Kaden held his head and ears high, "They weren't the slightest bit interested in me, pal. They were happier watching you take apart that Mech whilst I was trying to get them into escape pods"

They both grinned as they remembered their latest adventure which led to both their ranks rise to General status. And giving them the 'honour' of naming a building... Alister tried to be serious again.

"Look, what the hell are we going to call this place?"

"I thought we were naming it after you!"

"Why does it have to be me? It should be you!"

There was more silence. This naming business had better not push their friendship apart; otherwise Alister was going to have words with the Elders about naming buildings in the future.

"You're right; 'Court of Alister' sounds stupid"

Alister flinched, taken back. "I suppose 'Court of Kaden' is better?"

"Okay..." Kaden dug his hands into his pockets until he pulled out a small, flat, shiny bronze bolt.

Alister stared at i with a dumfounded expression on his face, _why didn't they think of this before?_

"We'll flip a bolt. Ears, it's your name. Tails, it's mine"

Alister sighed, trust Kaden to pick the side with the least engravings on it. His side was more likely to be heavier, and therefore lie face down. He flipped the bolt into the air, Alister watching eagerly as Kaden then caught it in his outstretched palm. He flipped it over onto his opposite arm, his hand covering the bolts decision. Alister crossed his fingers mentally...

Kaden removed his hand, careful to hide the bolt from Alister...

When Alister saw his friends face split into a wide smile, he knew he was doomed.

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After the embarrassing ceremony was over, where the Elders wisely decided to name to court after Alister's last name, Alister himself remembered something.

Bronze bolts had no markings on them.

Furious, he walked around the newly named court and found one the plaques that had been attached to the walls. Seeing that the plaster around the plaque was still wet, he dug his finger into the mould and wrote a small but powerful message.

Suddenly feeling a little guilty, Alister amended it, grateful that this plaque was near the space depot, where not many people, especially Kaden, would see it.


	2. Change The Present

**Hi guys, thank you for all the favourites and reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank. Their universe and everything in it belongs to the universe of Insomniac Games.**

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**MAJOR SPOILERS for A Crack In Time. I am on a huge Alister Azimuth spin and it won't go away =)**

2: Change The Present

Here he is... the place he's both dreamed for and wished for. It's certainly great, on a scale unknown to intelligence and full of impossible realities. It's astoundingly beautiful, with stars that fly in the sky and pieces of time that orbit around the centre. This place of opportunity is the place of time, where, unbelievably, time just happens to exist.

And he's here. The drawings and maps back at his base in Molonoth fields cannot compare. Even Kaden's description cannot compare, even though Alister's got it etched into his memory.

It appears to be endless. To think that he wouldn't be here at all if he didn't make the split decision to go to Nefarious' station, an event that he still doesn't quite understand. Alister brings himself back to the present. He's in the clock, supposed to be saying farewell, even though the farewell isn't really his to give.

Ratchet's here. And Clank. It's a heartfelt goodbye.

Something sparks inside. He feels sad, sympathetic, a touch angry. _Jealous. _He never got a chance to say goodbye to Kaden. To say how damn sorry he was. Yes, he's given Ratchet this chance to say goodbye. Yet, nothing is ever said about his chances. He could turn back time in this awful place, rewrite history, have his best friend back and have no need to say goodbye.

Ratchet tells him no. Kaden's son tells him it's too dangerous. Alister nearly laughs at the irony. It's been a while since he's been denied something and it still feels horribly raw. Why should Ratchet deny him what he wants? Alister's done everything for him. He doesn't want to feel like this. He's watching Ratchet walk away with his friend, turning his back on him, his own past, to walk with a robot.

_The past stays where it is..._

Why?

He feels like he's about to snap. Years spent being alone with only himself for company is turning his thoughts inwards, trying to persuade him to put his best interests first. _Stop Ratchet and get what you want._

His hand tightens on his wrench, he's about to form forceful, scary words that will fill the air and show Ratchet what he's truly made of. He will turn back time and have the Lombaxes back, have Kaden back, have his world back. Give Ratchet his family back because he still cares. He will stop being just a Mentor.

_It doesn't happen. _The past stays where it is.

He can't say what it is. But he simply stands there and watches Ratchet walk his best friend into the Orvus chamber, his frustration evaporated. No words can be found for what he feels, but he idly wonders if Ratchet is feeling the same. He's waiting for him, he will be there.

Ratchet appears a while later. Azimuth can offer no words of comfort, only a promise that they will return to this wonderful place to see Clank again, soon. Ratchet doesn't head for Aphelion, but instead silently jumps into the passenger seat of Azimuth's ship. Azimuth finds it difficult to say anything, somehow knowing that Ratchet probably would not like to hear it. They set off together, neither of them entirely sure of this being the right thing to do. Yes, _find the Lombaxes_, but this time with a part of Ratchet missing. Azimuth is only sure about one thing, he's not just a mentor, he's now a family.

Within the Orvus chamber, Clank's soul is crying its heart out. The universe carries on going clockwise, because it can.


	3. Family Talk

**Hi guys, thank you for all the reviews! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank, they belong to Insomniac Games. **

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**Spoilers for ACiT. Alister and Kaden centric. Written on a whim =P**

3. Family Talk

"So, you'll see him soon, right?"

This is harder than he thought. The words are drying up in his mouth as he continues to talk on the connection. Good thing he's not on visual, he must look like hell. Who thought that one baby Lombax could make him this tired.

Yet a smile creeps onto his face, despite the fatigue. He _loves it,_ the idea that he's a dad. That he has a son. A tiny, furry ball of cuteness with shinning green eyes that brings him so much joy, he can't describe it in one word. Ever since he's been born, Kaden has spent every waking moment, and even some sleeping ones, playing and caring for the newest addition to his family. It feels like he has all the time in the world.

"_I am sorry Kaden,"_ He snaps back to reality. The voice on the other line is full of genuine guilt, but Kaden can't help but notice that it sounds distracted. He hasn't heard from Alister in weeks, despite Kaden sending him several messages to him telling him about his newborn son and the family.

Still, it's good to hear from him again. He relaxes.

"That's alright Alister, I haven't heard from you, that's all. How's the fort holding?"

"_It's just crazy over here. We're close to creating the final design for the Septapod, Tachyon has been rather demanding..."_

Kaden leans back in his chair, only half listening as Alister talks on about the Court and developments in the Citadel. He can hear his son gurgling in the kitchen, Lucy replying in the baby voice that both of them have adopted over the past weeks.

Alister then pauses as he remembers who is on the line,_ "So, have you given him a name yet?"_

Kaden has to grin, despite his irritation for Alister. At least he read the messages, even if he had no time to reply, "No, Lucy wants a short name, like..." Wow, he is tired, he can't remember the half of what his wife has said. Something about short name, or was it a popular name? Jeez. But that really needs to be sorted though; the kid is nearly two months old.

Kaden hasn't noticed that he's trailed off, _"Well, I'm sure you'll both pick something interesting, you were good at naming things"_

There's a short silence, but it's comfortable. His son is chuckling in the next room.

"So, you will see him soon?" Kaden repeats. Remembering that he has a surprise for Alister, something he's sure that he will enjoy.

"_Yes, I promise. Make sure he has a name by the time I come round" _Kaden himself chuckles, _"I bet he looks like you" _

"You would say that"

"_Listen, Kaden, I have to go"_

There's a pang of sadness, but Kaden holds it back. Alister made him a promise and it should be good enough for him. He nods in reply before remembering that he's not on visual.

"Yeah, okay, sure. Take care of yourself. See you soon"

"_See you soon, Kaden"_

Alister disconnects and Kaden walks into the kitchen. A pair of green eyes light up at the sight of him and fat chubby hands throw a spoon at him in welcome.

Kaden forgets any uneasiness, it's rather easy to do so.


	4. Belief Is A Strong Word

**I really should not be doing this. Oh well, such is the addiction that is fanfiction. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Ratchet and Clank, I would be working on the next game with haste (and failing it miserably), not writing this. **

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**Spoilers for ACiT. Once again more Kaden and Alister silliness as it's rather hard to resist. =P**

**Prompt: "**_**...He was the first person the theorize that the Great Clock even existed"**_

4. Belief is a strong word

It was early in the evening, and Alister was enjoying one of the first free nights he had been given in months. He was in his shared quarters at the Citadel, lounging on the sofa in the sitting room with a decent book. The holovision was on, yet Alister paid no attention to it, only having it on for the noise that his fellow lodger would normally provide.

Kaden was at Court Beta, and had been all day. He was meant to be back over half an hour ago, yet Alister knew that if he was debating one certain subject, then he wouldn't be home for another hour at least.

And it was all concerning this idea of his.

This extraordinary idea concerning the entire universe was most certainly one of Kaden's more outlandish theories. Alister himself was sceptical of it, but he had never seen his friend more animated and more convinced, to the point where Alister sometimes tried to work out the idea for himself. Once or twice he had even sneaked into Kaden's workshop to have a peek at the images that contained the strange runes from Quantos, yet he could make nothing of it. It was best to leave the thinking to the shorter Lombax anyway, he loved this stuff.

Alister's ears instinctively fell back as he heard keys in the front door; this was the test. He hoped for Kaden to make his way upstairs to his workshop, as it was the usual sign that the day went very well. Alister listened carefully as he heard Kaden walk through the door and throw his keys on the nearby table. Soft footsteps walked forward down the hall-

And then made a sharp left turn into the kitchen.

As the clattering sounds of raided cupboards reached his ears, Alister came to the conclusion that today was definitly not a success. He was now finding it rather difficult to concentrate on his book, even more so when a forlorn figure entered the room carrying a plate heavily laden with bright sugar-filled cakes and other sweet stuffs that would do nothing to help his ongoing insomnia. The sorry Lombax sat himself down next to Alister without a word and scrambled for the remote to turn up the holovision. Out of the corner of Alister's eye he then saw Kaden pick up a sugary coated doughnut and examine it with a slightly wistful air.

The question was not really required, but Alister had to start somewhere before his friend devoured a plate of food that he really didn't want.

"So," He carefully kept his eyes on the small font, "How did it go?"

A sigh, "Terrible- worse than terrible, it was a complete screw up"

Alister dropped his book on the floor and took a good look at the fellow Lombax. Kaden wasn't lying. If his crestfallen face and matching ears had anything to go by, then today had been pretty darn awful.

"Look," Alister began, ignoring the sense of déjà vu, "Can't you present this in a-" He searched for the words "In a different way?"

Kaden put the doughnut back on the plate, "Alister, come on. How else can I explain the fact-"

"Theory"

"It's a _fact_"

Disapproving glances were sent both ways -reminders of previous arguments- before Kaden began again.

"The _fact_ is, there is a highly advanced, highly technical clock that controls the time shift continuum" A touch of pride in the statement that Alister had heard so many times before.

"Don't forget it's in the centre of the universe" He added slyly, smirking.

"It's not actually"

Alister's eyes widened, "What?"

"Yeah," Kaden replied a little smugly, "I figured that out the other day, the computer mistranslated. It's about fifty feet off the centre, which of course makes perfect sense"

"It does?"

"Well yes, the clock is a time machine, if it was at the centre, it would be time itself wouldn't it?"

"Oh, sure" Alister said flippantly. Kaden usually went into strange territory that Alister had extreme difficulty understanding. It was a small wonder why the Elders disliked his ideas, as they simply couldn't admit that they didn't understand the erratic intelligence behind it. Alister still wondered how Kaden's mind worked completely, and how such ideas –_theories_- could put a light in his wide eyes.

Yet Kaden looked hopelessly dull as sighed again and made for the doughnut once more, this time taking a huge chunk out of it with pink jam oozing everywhere.

"So," Alister tried to ignore the sudden need for a doughnut, "what did the Elders say this time?"

"That I should get someone else to back me up next time instead of just standing there by myself"

A flicker of confusion passed Alister's face, "But I thought you had someone to support you this time? That Markazian explorer?"

"Oh, Apogee, yeah, he failed to show up today. Partly why this day was a fiasco" A cookie quickly followed the doughnut, "It looks like I'll get nowhere with this"

What on earth could Alister say to that?

"That's not true." Alister said quietly, "And it's not your fault Apogee didn't turn up, he does believe you"

"Okay, there's him. And who else?"

"Well, I'm sure others believe you. They just don't want to say so"

Kaden's hand froze over the plate. Dull green orbs were now looking fondly at Alister.

"You believe me" A statement, not a question. _Oh damn_, Alister quickly turned away and picked his book up, wishing that Kaden would take that additive riddled plate away.

There was a small, tiny silence as one brain ticked away with increasing speed. Alister, on the other hand, was simply trying to immerse himself back into the very simple plot.

"Well! At least one person believes me!" He bounced off the sofa, snatching up the plate "I'm going to work some more, do you want this?" When Alister didn't reply, the suddenly cheerful Lombax set the plate back on the table and went for the stairs, taking two at a time. No more sounds were to come from the upper landing for at least another four hours.

Alister idly turned another page, wondering if Kaden would mind spending the next work break on Quantos. He always had a passion for studying native Zyphoid behaviour.


	5. GUILTY

**There is really no excuse for such a late update =) **

**More thoughtless Alister luvin. This time I made him stand in front of all his peers for trial... ouch.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Insomniac Games which are creators of Ratchet and Clank. **

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**Spoilers for ACiT... again **

GUILTY

The walls are curved; their meaning to intensify the feeling of being 'caved in' on the suspected certainly works on others. Yet, the one currently in 'The Chair' doesn't even notice.

There is the council at the front. Once a greatly feared number now diminished to a simple group of ten . The fresh looking Head of the Praetorian Guard would have enjoyed his new position had he not been directing his race to a new life away from the one that is somehow destroyed. They all whisper between each other, which seem to echo the whispers of those from beyond the walls.

_Alister Azimuth_, they say, _imagine that. One sole Lombax, a traitor to their own kind. Sold the secrets to a long hated enemy! Sympathised with a Cragmite! _

Countless explosive whispers since then... yet the one who they all talk about simply slumps in the chair while looking utterly lifeless and completely alone.

How horrible, for such a lively and respected leader to be standing trial. It was only really luck that the young Lombax didn't end up sitting in his own court. Thousands of Lombaxes fleeing for their lives in the largest and most guarded court the citadel could possibly offer, perhaps Azimuth could claim some sort of redemption on that.

The decision was almost split on what to do with him. Half had wanted to see him sink for his mistake. Watching their world crumble around them meant that a target for blame had to be called. A place to direct their anger. Their hate. Their helplessness. The other half knew the wider picture. _Understood._ Azimuth had been affected by the Great War, how close the Lombax Empire had been to falling on its knees.

Five for punishment, five for redemption. The new Head of the Guard eager to flatten Azimuth in order to give his people a sort of satisfaction and to gain the respect of his peers. He is not aware of what Azimuth may have done in the past, or what he could be become in the future. Whilst there is hundreds dying out there, the focus is now.

A split decision meant nothing if Azimuth fought for himself.

If only Kaden were here.

"We have chosen your fate, Alister Azimuth"

Azimuth looks up for the first time he's been here, looking at the Head of the Guard, asking for no mercy. There's something in his left hand that he clutches like a lifeline, a metal disc like object that shines dully in the harsh glare of the lights that hang overhead.

"We have decided," Despite this bravado, the new Head of the Guard hesitates, "We have decided that you will not be allowed to join your fellow Lombaxes by accessing the new dimension. You are banned from finding this new dimension by your own means. How you live your life, where you reside in this galaxy, is up to you. Do you understand?"

The council then breathe in as one, anticipating the Elder's reaction. There is nothing. He only speaks, "So..." He swallows, and the voice drops to a whisper "Permanent exile"

The Head of the Guard nods, also not trusting himself not to speak. Never has an Elder been sentenced in such a way.

"We can also trust that you say nothing of the Lombax Secret to anyone?" Someone on the far left, who flinches at Azimuth's hard gaze. As if he would. With his track record, who would trust him to tell the truth?

"Do you have anything to say in your defence?"

Azimuth drops his gaze, looking at the object his holds in his hand. There is complete and utter silence and stillness. Someone could have placed their hands on a clock, stopping it's hands, unsure whether to wind forwards or backwards.

"...I am so sorry"


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